CACC

A bill that would effectively do-over Washington's search for a new commercial airport has passed a key committee vote in Olympia.

Lawmakers are considering restarting the process to find a location to build a new airport after months of community backlash to current recommendations. One member of the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission, which was formed in 2019 to address aviation capacity shortages, agrees more review is needed.Bryce Yadon represents Futurewise, an environmental land use nonprofit that advocates for policies to address population growth in compliance with the Growth Management Act. Their goal is to protect farms, forests and waterways, and ensure urban areas are accessible to all.

The battle against a new two-runway airport in Pierce or Thurston county ramped up on Wednesday, when a hundred or so rallied on the north steps of the Capitol Building in Olympia. Lawmakers were there to listen, and express their own objection to the proposed sites, or at least a need to restart the process for choosing a site for a new airfield. Behind closed doors, some are working on legislation that would do just that.